Sub-top for refrigerating cabinets



June 27, 1939. L AHA 2,164,023

SUB-TOP FOR REFRIGERATING CABINETS Filed 001;. 8, 1937 INVENTOR. Lu/g HA fi -f I ATTORNEY.

Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ludwig Saha, Secane, Pa., assignor to Saha Manufacturing Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.

Application October 8, 1937, Serial No. 167,898

2 Claims.

This invention has to do with refrigerating cabinets and is concerned primarily with the construction of the so-called sub-tops of refrigerating cabinets and particularly with the relationship of these sub-tops to the cabinets themselves.

To the end of pointing out the exact nature of the present invention it is noted that refrigerating cabinets of the type with which this invention is concerned are meeting with widespread use, particularly in the field of ice cream manufacture. As a general rule these refrigerating cabinets include a cabinet structure defined by the walls and bottom, with a sub-top anchored to the walls at the top edges thereof. The cabinet,

which is defined by the walls, bottom and top, is intended to receive containers of ice cream to maintain them in a refrigerated condition, and refrigerating apparatus, is, therefore, also included in the cabinet.

Inasmuch as it is necessary from time to time to obtain access to the interior of the cabinet the sub-tops are subject to removal as occasion demands, and this feature is an important factor in the advantages of the present invention.

5 In view of the fact that the interior of the cabinet is refrigerated the Walls thereof are of a construction providing heat insulatiomand this same feature is carried out in the sub-tops. A typical sub-top now meeting with widespread use 30 in this art may be characterized as including a wooden, metal or composition frame having a shape comparable to the outline defined by the four walls of the cabinet. Aflixed to the lower face of this frame is either a sheet of iron, as-

5 phalt, cork or other insulating material which extends across the whole top, and on the opposite face is an appropriate sheet metal. Between these sheets are placed sheets of cork or other insulating material that are packed in with as 40 phalt or other moisture resisting binder. Naturally this laminated structure is formed with openings through which the containers of ice cream are adapted to pass and fit snugly therein. These openings may be lined with rubber frost collars.

The sub-top is maintained in position on the top of the wall structure of the cabinet by headed bolts which pass through openings around the 50 marginal edge of the sub-top, and are threaded at their lower extremities into the wall structure of the cabinet. Inasmuch as the interior of the cabinet is intended to be insulated against heat it is important that the fit between the sub-top and wall structure be tight, and these. bolts are,

therefore, threaded home with a high degree of security.

It is now the universal practice to equip these sub-tops with so-called finishing tops that are usually made from Monel or other rust resisting *5 metal and which presents a polished bright finish. These finishing tops are formed with openings corresponding to the openings in the subtop, and have peripheral flanges that extend down a small distance over the wooden frame. These flanges are formed with openings, and headed screws are passed therethrough and screwed into the wooden frame to hold the finishing top in position. t

It is also conventional practice to employ flnishing rims that are placed in each of the openings after positioning of the finishing tops, and these rims have flanges which extend down into the openings, and which may cover the upper portions of the rubber frost collars which line the 20 openings. These finishing rings also may be held in position by screws passing through these downwardly extending flanges.

As above pointed out, occasions arise when it becomes necessary to obtain access to the interior of the cabinet, and this requires a removing of the sub-top. With the construction of the sub-top now available to the public it is first necessary to remove the finishing top, and this involves a taking off of the finishing rings as well as unscrewing all of the screws in the peripheral flanges of the finishing top. After the finishing top has been removed the headed bolts may be unscrewed and the sub-top taken ofi the cabinet.

It is evident that when the sub-top is to be replaced the headed bolts must be screwed into the same sockets, and due to the fact that moisture may have crept into such sockets, and the distortion which is inevitable with each screwing and unscrewing, the threaded sockets become impaired and at least partially damaged, with the result that after two or three removalsv it is almost an impossibility to effect a tight joint between the sub-top and the wall structure of the cabinet.

Another highly noticeable disadvantage is associated with the removal of the finishing top itself. The fit between the flange structure of the finishing top and the wooden frame is intended to be fairly snug, but after two or three removals there is a tendency for the flanges to become sprung. Also all screws engaged in holding the finishing top and rims lose their bearing, and the top must be repaired or replaced with a new one. Not only is the refrigerating cabinet and subtop impaired in the manner above outlined, but

it requires considerable labor to remove and replace the sub-top whenever access to the interior of the cabinet is to be obtained. Also a large proportion of finishing rims are damaged and must be replaced.

With the foregoing conditions in mind this invention has in view as its foremost objective the provision of a refrigerating cabinet which includes a sub-top of the type above noted which may be detached from and attached to the body of the cabinet without necessitating a removal of the finishing top.

The invention has in view as a further detailed objective the provision of novel means for holding a sub-top of the type above noted in position on the main body of a refrigerating cabinet.

In carrying out the above noted objectives in a practical embodiment this invention contemplates following the known practices so far as the construction of the refrigerating cabinet and the sub-tops themselves are concerned with the single exception of the manner in which sub-tops are held in position on the cabinets. In accordance with this invention bolts which are threaded at each end are screwed into appropriate sockets of the cabinet walls, and these bolts are dimensioned so that they leave threaded studs projecting upwardly above the top of the cabinet walls a required distance. The sub-tops themselves are provided with the special openings through the wooden or metal frame for receiving the upper ends of these threaded bolts.

However, just beneath the flanges of the finishing top the sides of the wooden frame are cut away to provide recesses that communicate with the upper portion of these bolt openings. These recesses permit of nuts being threaded on the bolts from the side, thus obviating the need for removing the finishing top.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages such as those which arise in carrying out the above noted objectives will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated.

The invention, therefore, comprises a refrigerating cabinet including a sub-top of the type above noted, and which sub-top is readily removable from and attachable to the main body portion of the refrigerating cabinet without necessitating the need for taking off or replacing the finishing top.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view developing, in an exploded relationship, the various elements of a sub-top made in accordance with this invention, and

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed view partly in section and partly in elevation bringing out the particular manner in which the sub-top is anchored to a refrigerating cabinet.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, a refrigerating cabinet to which the sub-top of this invention is to be attached is shown fragmentarily in Figure 2, and referred to generally by the reference character C. Refrigerating cabinets of this type are well-known and available to the public as such, and generally include a top wall structure ii! that is characterized by the presence of a metallic strip I I that takes the form of the angle iron illustrated in Figure 2.

Threaded sockets are appropriately formed in this top wall structure Ii) and extend through the strip ll. These sockets are identified by the reference character l2, and it is notable that the threads in this socket are formed in the metallic strip ll, thus insuring a firm anchorage for connecting studs l3. The connecting studs 13 are threaded at their lower ends, and these threaded ends are screwed into the sockets l2 leaving the main body portion of the bolts projecting upwardly above the top wall structure H1, and the upper extremities of these studs are also threaded as shown at M.

A sub-top such as contemplated by this invention is shown as comprising a top frame 9 which may be made from any suitable material such as wood, and which may take any required shape such as the rectangular formation illustrated. At each corner of the top frame 9 there is a butt joint designated 8. Disposed beneath the frame 9 is a main body frame I5 which may be of wood, metal or any other desired material but preferably wood, and is identified by having a structural shape corresponding to the top frame 9. If the cabinet to which the sub-top is to be applied is of fairly large extent the frame l5 may be divided into a sectional construction by additional cross pieces (not illustrated).

Secured to the other side of the frame i5 is a sheet of insulating material which may be iron, asphalt, cork or other suitable material, but preferably asphalt, while a piece of sheet metal identified as I8 is disposed above the top frame 0. Between these sheets I! and I8 there are layers of insulating material such as cork, and which are identified by the reference character I9.

These layers of cork may be packed in tight by availing of any appropriate binder, such as asphalt, which is packed in on each side thereof.

Each of the sheets I! and I3, as well as the insulating sheets I9, is formed with aligned openings which are adapted to receive ice cream containers; such openings being represented at It is the usual practice in this art for the users of these refrigerating cabinets to line the openings 20 with rubber frost collars which are shown in Figure 2.

Embedded in the sheets of insulating material I 9 about the openings 20 are a plurality of wooden inserts l6 which are adapted to have fastening screws threaded thereinto for securing finishing rims in position, as will be later described.

Covering the sheet metal top I8 is a finishing top which preferably is made from a metal affording a bright polish, such as Monel metal. This finishing top is identified as 2|, and is shown as having openings corresponding to the openings 20. The marginal edges of the finishing top 2! take the form of flanges 22 which are formed with small openings through which pass headed screws 23 that are screwed into the wooden frame 9. As shown in Figure 1, finishing rims 24 may be placed in each of the openings 20 and are formed with cylindrical flanges 25 that extend downwardly into these openings. Ordinarily these flanges 25 will cover the rubber frost collars which line the openings 20, and fastening screws will pass through the flanges 25 and rubber frost collars into the wooden inserts Hi.

The wooden frame I5 is formed with bolt openings 26 that are designed to snugly receive the bolts l3, and these bolt openings terminate at their upper extremities in recesses 27 that are enlarged so as to permit operation of a tool such as a wrench therein. As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, these recesses 2'! extend beneath the flanges 22.

When the sub-top is to be positioned on the cabinet C the bolts l3 are snugly received in the bolt openings 26 with the threaded ends I 4 being disposed in the recesses 21. Nuts shown at 28 may then be threaded on the threaded portion I 4 of the bolts, and due to the presence of the enlarged recess 2"! a wrench may be employed to tighten these bolts, and thus effect a tight seal between the sub-top and the wall structure of the cabinet C.

It is evident that the sub-top above described may be positioned on the wall structure of the cabinet C and taken therefrom without removing the finishing top 2 l, thus materially reducing the labor involved in these operations, also eliminating damage on finishing rims, finishing top, and insulating top. It is notable at the same time the bolts l3 remain permanently in the sockets l2. Thus the liability for moisture leaking into the sockets is obviated as well as the danger of impairing the sockets as an incident to threading operations.

Inasmuch as both the studs l3 and nuts 28 are of metal, the relative threading operations between these two parts may be carried out without danger of impairing the threads.

Ordinarily the refrigerating cabinets are provided with finishing panels that extend over the side walls of the cabinet and over the sub-top up to a line closely adjacent the flanges of the finishing top. Such a finishing panel is shown fragmentarily in Figure 2 and identified at 30. Ordinarily it will be of Monel metal, the same as the finishing top 2| and finishing rims 24.

Finishing panels such as represented at 3|] are employed purely for dress purposes; and while these panels extend up over the side edges of the sub-top, they may be easily removed to provide access to the nuts 28 within the recesses 21.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth it is to be clearly understood that I am not to be limited to the exact construction illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a refrigerating cabinet having a side wall structure from which upstand a plurality of studs, a sub-top having side faces corresponding to the side wall structure, a finishing top overlying the sub-top, marginal flanges carried by said finishing top overlying the upper portion of said side faces of the sub-top, said sub-top being formed with openings for receiving said studs, said sub-top being formed with recesses opening into said side faces beneath the side marginal fianges of the finishing top, the said stud openings communicating with said recesses, and means carried by said studs and disposed in said recesses for clamping the sub-top in position on the side wall structure of the cabinet.

2. In combination, a refrigerating cabinet having a side wall structure, a plurality of threaded studs carried by said side wall structure and upstanding therefrom, a sub-top having side faces corresponding to the side wall structure of the cabinet, said sub-top being formed with openings for receiving said studs, a finishing top disposed over said sub-top, marginal flanges carried by said finishing top overlying the upper portion of the side faces of the sub-top, the said sub-top being formed with recesses opening into the side faces thereof beneath the said marginal flanges, the said stud openings communicating with the said recesses, and nuts in said recesses threaded on said studs for clamping the sub-top in position on the wall structure of the cabinet.

LUDWIG SAHA. 

